TAMPA, Fla. — For the first time ever, Senate and Congress leaders have voted to ensure pesticide labels are now being manufactured bilingually. 

This is thanks to a $ 1.7 Billion appropriations package.

For the Florida Strawberry Growers Association, they know the impact this bill will have on their community. “It’s important for us to really ensure that our handlers understand the label and all the information that goes along with that.”

Brianne Reichenbach is the Director of the organization. She knows the process requires a lot of work. “We do hand harvest and hand plant and generally everything is by hand.”

She said by manufacturing pesticide labels in English and now in Spanish, it’s a plus.

It’s something the organization has been working towards for some time now. “We have been working behind the scenes ensuring that the pesticide applicator exams and the core exams, which historically for non-native English speakers, there has not been a high passing rate on that.”

According to Reichenbach, pesticide spray is used when needed. Once a strawberry is in season, it’s picked every three days. Which means more people in the fields and more pesticide spray.

“Everyone’s safety on the farm is the number one priority, so the label is the law and that’s how we treat it.” She also says they stand behind any bill that will help farmworkers.

Reichenbach is hopeful the change is a step in the right direction. She’s also looking forward to seeing the new pesticide labels hit the shelves soon.